Loggains Tabbed as App State Football Head Coach

BOONE, N.C. – A respected offensive play-caller at both the NFL and college levels, Dowell Loggains has been chosen as the next head coach of App State Football, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Saturday.

Loggains (pronounced LOG-ans), 44, is the 23rd head football coach in program history. His five-year contract, which runs through the 2029 season, was approved Saturday afternoon by Interim Chancellor Heather Norris and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

Most recently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the top-15 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks, Loggains will be formally introduced Monday during a noon press conference at Kidd Brewer Stadium’s Grandview Ballroom that is open to the public and will also be streamed live on App State Football’s YouTube, Facebook and X pages.

“We have a longstanding and proud football tradition at App State, with a national reputation for excellence and success on and off the field,” Norris said. “App State has one of the nation's best home-field advantages, as well as a strong academic record. I’d like to thank Doug Gillin for his leadership and his work to quickly hire a new head football coach. We are looking forward to Dowell becoming a Mountaineer.”

“We are very excited for Dowell Loggains to be the next leader of App State Football and to welcome him, his wife, Beth, and their children, Reese, Aven, Connor and Ryne, to the App Family,” Gillin said. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football. He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.”

Season tickets for the 2025 App State football season will go on sale soon.

Before serving as South Carolina’s offensive coordinator the last two seasons, Loggains was an assistant for two years at his alma mater, Arkansas, after spending 16 years in the NFL (2005-20) with time as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach for the Tennessee Titans (2010-13), Cleveland Browns (2014), Chicago Bears (2015-17), Miami Dolphins (2018) and New York Jets (2019-20).

“My family and I are thrilled to join the Mountaineer family and build on the rich championship tradition of App State Football,” Loggains said. “Thank you to the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Norris, Doug Gillin, and all of App Nation for this incredible opportunity to lead such a storied program. We are eager to become part of the community, engage with the student-athletes and fans, and give our All for App State.”

Loggains’ offense this season has helped the Gamecocks reach the brink of the College Football Playoff with a 9-3 record that includes wins over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri and Clemson. South Carolina has the third-best rushing offense in the SEC at 188.9 yards per game while ranking top 50 in the country in scoring, yardage, rushing, first downs and completion percentage.

He has developed redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers into one of college football’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. Sellers has thrown for 2,274 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also rushing for 655 yards and seven scores against one of the country’s toughest schedules. He ranks 20th nationally in passing efficiency, 14th in yards per attempt, 25th in yards per completion, 28th in total offense and 35th in completion percentage. Loggains has also found success utilizing Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, one of the SEC’s best running backs, to form a dynamic rushing attack.

In his first season in Columbia, Loggains turned future NFL quarterback Spencer Rattler and a future NFL first-round draft pick, wide receiver Xavier Legette, into one of the most lethal pass-and-catch combinations in the country.

Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as the Arkansas Razorbacks’ tight ends coach, earning a reputation as a top-25 national recruiter there.

During his decade-plus as an NFL coordinator and quarterbacks coach, he mentored the likes of Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young at QB, as well as running backs Kenyan Drake, Jordan Howard and Chris Johnson.

Loggains graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2003 and a master’s degree in education in 2005. He walked on to the Razorback football program in 2000 as a quarterback and holder before earning a scholarship and becoming a four-year letterman, appearing in 50 games.

Loggains and his wife, Beth, have four children: daughters Reese, Aven and Connor, and son, Ryne.

LOGGAINS AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

2005: Dallas Cowboys (Scouting assistant)

2006-07: Tennessee Titans (Coaching administrative assistant)

2008-09: Tennessee Titans (Quality control)

2010-12: Tennessee Titans (Passing game coordinator/QBs)

2013: Tennessee Titans (Offensive coordinator)

2014: Cleveland Browns (QBs)

2015-17: Chicago Bears (Offensive coordinator/QBs)

2018: Miami Dolphins (Offensive coordinator)

2019-20: New York Jets (Offensive coordinator/QBs)

2021-22: Arkansas (Tight ends)

2023-24: South Carolina (Offensive coordinator/QBs)

Bowls Coached

2021: Outback

2022: Liberty

Playing Experience

2000-04: Arkansas (Quarterback/holder)

Alma Mater: Arkansas, 2003

Hometown: Newport, Ark.
Wife: Beth
Children: Reese, Aven, Connor, Ryne
X: @Dowell_Loggains